1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air-conditioning control method for a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to an air-conditioning control method for a vehicle, which can increase the driving distance of electric vehicles by reducing the consumption of energy spent in unnecessary air-conditioning for indoor spaces except spaces occupied by passengers.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, vehicles are equipped with Heating, Ventilation, and Air-conditioning (HVAC) apparatuses used for controlling the indoor temperature of vehicles and making the indoor environment of vehicles more comfortable.
Recently manufactured vehicles include a Full Automatic Temperature System (FATC) that can automatically control the indoor temperature in accordance with a temperature set by a driver or a passenger and maintains the indoor environment comfortable.
In the FATC system, when a user sets a temperature, in order to control the indoor temperature, an air-conditioning controller (FATC controller) receives sensor detection signals from an insolation sensor for detecting the quantity of solar radiation, an outcar sensor for detecting the outdoor temperature, and an incar sensor for detecting the indoor temperature of a vehicle to calculate an indoor heat load based on the detection values of each sensor and determine a discharge mode, a discharge temperature, a discharge direction, and a discharge air volume in consideration of an air-conditioning load corresponding to the heat load.
Also, in order to control the indoor temperature and the system operation, the air-conditioning controller receives detection values from a discharge temperature sensor for detecting the discharge temperature, a heater temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of an electric heater (e.g., PTC heater; used as an auxiliary heater in internal combustion engine vehicles and as a main heater in electric vehicles), and an evaporator temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of an evaporator, and controls operation components such as a mode actuator, a temp door (temperature controlling door) actuator, an air direction controlling door actuator, an air-conditioning blower, a compressor, and an electric heat, using the discharge mode, the discharge temperature, the discharge direction, and the discharge air volume determined as above.
Due to the increase of oil price and the strengthening of environmental regulation, recent attention in the development of vehicles is being paid to improvement of the fuel efficiency and eco-friendliness. Endeavors to develop pollution-free and eco-friendly Electric Vehicles (EV) that use an electric motor as a driving source are being extensively made.
Electric vehicles are equipped with an electric motor for driving the vehicle and a battery that is an energy storage as a power source for supplying power to the electric motor.
Also, since electric vehicles have no typical engine that serves as a source for heating and a source for driving a compressor unlike internal combustion engine vehicles, electric vehicles have to use an electric heater and an electric compressor. In this case, the consumption of power due to actuation of an air-conditioning apparatus has a great influence on deterioration of the fuel efficiency.
Due to the consumption of battery power, the driving distance (hereinafter, driving distance per charging) of a vehicle can be reduced by a maximum of 50%, compared to a case where the air-conditioning apparatus is not actuated. In a case where a high voltage electric heater has to be actuated for heating, the consumption of the battery power rapidly increases, and thus the driving distance significantly decreases (relatively deficient in a waste heat source unlike internal combustion engine vehicles using engine waste heat).
Accordingly, the technological development for a high efficiency air-conditioning apparatus differentiated for electric vehicles is an essential factor for promotion of the distribution of electric vehicles. Also, the technological development that can minimize the power consumption while providing and maintaining a comfort desired by a driver or a passenger as much as possible when the air-conditioning apparatus is actuated is needed.
For this, various endeavors to develop heat pump systems, high-efficiency heat-insulating technologies, glass heat-shielding and heat-insulating technologies, remote reservation air-conditioning and indoor/outdoor air controlling technologies are being actively made, but there are many limitations in cost saving and commercialization.
Particularly, the technological development for reducing unnecessary energy consumption upon actuation of the air-conditioning apparatus in a vehicle has to be together carried out. However, since the air-conditioning apparatus is actuated for the whole indoor space of a vehicle regardless of whether a passenger occupies a certain indoor space of the vehicle, unnecessary energy consumption is inevitable.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.